The Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a rebel group labeled as a terrorist organization, have carried out a series of deadly attacks in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, Sudan, resulting in at least 22 fatalities and 20 injuries. The violence marks another tragic chapter in the conflict that erupted in April 2023 between the RSF and Sudanese Armed Forces.

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The Director-General of the Ministry of Security for North Darfur, Ibrahim Jater, confirmed the death toll on Monday, citing the targeted areas of Um Kadada and nearby villages. Reports from local media also highlighted widespread destruction and looting, forcing the displacement of countless civilians.

The Sudanese Doctors Network previously reported the deaths of 15 individuals and injuries to five more, warning of “terrorist practices and ethnically motivated killings” perpetrated by the RSF. The group’s actions have escalated fears of a deepening humanitarian crisis in the region.

The violence is not confined to North Darfur. In Gezira state, a civil society group known as the Gezira Conference revealed that the RSF killed six civilians and kidnapped three others. The group accused the RSF of intensifying attacks on unarmed civilians, further destabilizing the country.

The conflict between Sudan’s military and the RSF originated from disputes over the integration of the RSF into the national armed forces, a critical step in Sudan’s transition to civilian rule after the ousting of President Omar al-Bashir in 2019. The inability to reach an agreement derailed the fragile political transition, plunging the country into ongoing violence.

Humanitarian organizations and local groups have raised the alarm about the deteriorating situation, urging international intervention to address the worsening conditions in Darfur and across Sudan.

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